Australia has purchased the first British-built components for nuclear reactors that will power its future SSN-AUKUS stealth submarines, marking a significant step in the trilateral AUKUS defence partnership.
Australian Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy confirmed that Australia has spent Aus$310 million (US$220 million) to secure the first reactor parts for the initial two submarines it will construct in Adelaide later this decade, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
Under the AUKUS pact between Australia, United Kingdom and United States, Canberra plans to acquire a fleet of advanced nuclear-powered submarines as part of a long-term strategy to strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific region.
“We’ve just spent Aus$310 million acquiring the very first parts that will go into the reactors for the first two submarines that we will construct in Adelaide beginning later this decade,” Conroy said following meetings in Britain.
He added that the programme is expected to generate around 20,000 high-skilled jobs and equip the Royal Australian Navy with next-generation capabilities aimed at deterring conflict in the region.
As part of the agreement, Australia intends to obtain at least three US Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines within the next 15 years. These vessels are seen as an interim capability while Britain develops the new SSN-AUKUS class, scheduled for delivery in the late 2030s.
Although Australia will build its own SSN-AUKUS submarines for service entry in the early 2040s, it will remain dependent on Britain for the supply of complete, welded nuclear propulsion units.
The recent Aus$310 million payment comes in addition to the Aus$2.4 billion Canberra has committed over a decade to expand production capacity at Rolls-Royce Submarines, which is responsible for building the nuclear reactors.
The AUKUS submarine programme is expected to span decades, reshaping Australia’s naval capabilities and deepening defence-industrial cooperation among the three partner nations.